HOUNDS OBEDIENT. 103 



as may be occasioned on yours.* The language 

 we use to them to convey our meaning should 

 never vary ; still less should we alter the very 

 meaning of the terms we use. Would it not be 

 absurd to encourage, when we mean to rate ? 

 and if we did, could we expect to be obeyed.'* 

 You will not deny this, and yet you are guilty 

 of no less an inconsistency, when you encourage 

 your hounds to run a scent to-day, which you 

 know, at the same time, you must be obliged to 

 break them from to-morrow. Is it not running 

 counter to justice and to reason "^ 



I confess there is some use in hunting young- 

 hounds where you can easily command them ; 

 but even this you may pay too dearly for. En- 

 ter your hounds in small covers, or in such large 

 ones as have ridings cut in them : whippers-in 

 can then get at them, can always see what they 

 are at, and I have no doubt that you may have 

 a pack of fox-hounds steady to fox by this 

 means, without adopting so preposterous a 

 method as that of first making hare-hunters 

 of them. You will find that hounds, thus in- 



* Were huntsmen to scream continually to their hounds, 

 using the same halloo whether they were drawing, casting, 

 or running, the hounds could not understand them, and 

 probably would show on every occasion as little attention 

 to them as they would deserve. 



